Figure toy



July 23, 1929. w. HINSEN 1,721,733

FIGURE TOY Filed Sept 1, 1927 INVENTOR,

. ATTORNEY.

Patented July 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM HINSEN, OF CAT SPRING, TEXAS.

FIGURE TOY.

Application filed September 1, 1927. Serial No. 2163955.

This invention relates to figure toys, and especially ,to a mechanical.toy which I choose to name revolving clowns. The main object of thisinvention is to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive toy whichis at the same time quite amusing and interesting.

Other objects and important features are pointed out or implied in thefollowing details of description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a View partly in side elevation and partly in verticalsection, showing an embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the device shown in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a part of the device shown in Figures1 and 2, a part of this view being in section along the line 33 ofFigure 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional View, the section being takenalong line 4:l of Figure 1.

Referring to these drawings in detail, in which similar referencecharacters correspond to similar parts throughout the several views, theinvention is described in detail as follows:

Broadly considered, the invention includes 'a supporting base 1 providedwith a vertical pivot or rod 2, a rotary member 3 mounted to turn on thepivot, and figure toy members 4 and 5 supported on and rotatable withthe member 3 by means of flexible connections 6. In practice, theseflexible connections may be of any appropriate kind, or design, but ashere illustrated, they comprise bearing members 7, springs 8, pintles 9,and supporting uprights or flanges 10, the latter being formedintegrally with plates 11, preferably of sheet metal, and these members1011 are united with the member 3 so as to rotate therewith, and may beconsidered as constituting parts of the member 3.

In the form here shown, the member 3 includes a bar or plate 12 which iscentrally apertured, and through this central aperture extends a tube 13having bearing members'14 and 15 therein, these bearing membersreceiving the vertical pivot 2. A handle or crank 'lfi is secured on theupper end of the tube 13.

The figure my members 4 and 5 maybe of an a propriate construction andshape, eit ier allow or solid, but preferably the aim ulations of livingcreatures of the erect type, for instance, those which are accustomed tostand upon two legs, such as kangaroos, fightlng cocks or human beings,the latter being chosen in the present illustrations, and beingcomically designed and decorated to represent clowns. The flexiblesupports 6 are designed and constructed tohold the figure toy membersnormally erect, as shown in full lines in Figure 1, and to permit themto swing outward, as indicated by dotted lines in. Figure 1, and also toswing inward, it being understood that the front parts of their feetwill pass bet-ween the supporting flanges 10 when they swing forward orinward.

In operating this figure toy, the base member 1 is seated on a floor ortable, and the handle 16 is rotated or oscillated, so the centrifugalforce of the rotating member 3 forces the toy members 4: and 5 to swingoutward, while the springs 8 tend to force them inward, so when thespeed of rotation diminishes or ceases, the toy members 4 and 5 swinginward, the momentum carrying them towards one another from their normalvertical position, thereby giving'the effect or impression that they arestriking at one another, and each dodging behind the intervening uprightmember 13.

This toy is not only quite amusing, but owing to the fact that therotary, part 3 can be disconnected from the part 12, it is interestingfor small children who have the propensity for dissecting their toys.When this toy is dissected by the removal ofthe part 3 from the part 12,it can easily be rebuilt by simply inserting the pivot 2 in the bearing14, and when the handle 16 is turned, the upper end of the pivot 2 willautomatically move into the bearing 15. I

As previously pointed out, this invention is susceptible of numerouschanges of construction, arrangement and design, without any departurefrom the broad inventiveideas as implied and claimed herein, so I haveno intention of limiting my patent protection to the details here shown.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A figure toy including a base 'providec with a vertical pivot, arotary member mounted to be turned on said pivot, two figure toymembers, and flexible connections on opposite sides of said pivot andsecured to the feet or lower ends of said figure toy members, saidconnections including springs and adapted to hold said figure toymembers normally erect and to permit them to swing outward inconsequenceof centrifugal force.

2. A figure toy including a base provided with a vertical pivot, arotary member including a bearing and a handle at its top part, saidbearing being adapted to receive theupper end of said pivot andcooperate therewith for supporting said rotary member in the relationfor being rotated by means of said handle, two figure toy members, andflexible connections on opposite sides of said pivot, said flexibleconnections including elastic means to hold the figure toy memberssubstantially normally erect, but permitting the figure toy members toswing outward in consequence of the centrifugal force resulting from theturning of said'handle.

3. Ina figure toy, the combination of a rotary member including acentral vertical part which has a crank on its top and a pivotbearingimmediately under the crank, a base having'a vertical pivot extending uptherefrom and pivoted in said pivot-bearing, horizontal pintles securedon the rotary member at opposite sides of the bottomof said verticalpivot, figure toy members having feet provided with bearing memberswhich are pivotally mounted on said pintles, and springs cooperativewith said pintles and feet to yieldingly hold said figure toy members insuch vertical position that their heads are at opposite sides of thesaid pivot-bearing and below the level of said crank.

4. In a figure toy, the combination of a rotary member including acentral vertical tube having a pivot-bearing in its upperend and a crankon its upper end, a base having a vertical pivot extending up into saidtube and pivoted in said pivot-bearing, and two figure toymembersyieldingly supported at opposite sides of said tube and'having theirheads at opposite sides of said pivot-bearing and below the level ofsaid crank. 7

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM HINSEN.

